President’s Message: October

Welcome to October! What happened to summer? I do love this time of year for many reasons. As an OPA member, I look forward to our October Convention. This year’s Convention will be held in downtown Columbus on October 24-26, and I encourage everyone to be aware of the many advantages of this wonderful yearly event. A review of the brochure shows the many exceptional educational offerings provided are up to OPA’s usual excellent standards. Attendees are able to obtain nearly all their continuing education credits for the full biennium, and at the same time stay up to date on many relevant topics for our profession.

As I think about our Convention, though, I am mindful of a number of benefits for attending beyond the educational opportunities. Perhaps the most important of these is networking. As I look back on my career as a psychologist, and my time as a member of our association, I can see how important the opportunity to network with my fellow professionals has been for my professional growth. Our Convention offers a tremendous opportunity for connecting with individuals who are relevant to our professional interests through a variety of activities planned throughout the event, as well opportunities for informal meeting and interacting.

Another advantage of the Convention is the opportunity to learn more about current trends and issues which affect our profession. Justice Evelyn Stratton and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine will offer a keynote address discussing their Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Health and its role for psychologists. Current issues which affect psychologists for which OPA has advocated will be discussed during the Political Action Committee luncheon.

If my description here has piqued your interest, I urge you to consider attending. More information can be obtained on the Convention page.